Says they will get reflected in Tamil Nadu; it is a vote against the BJP: AIADMK

The election results in three northern States, which went in favour of the Congress, will get reflected in Tamil Nadu at the time of the Lok Sabha polls, according to the DMK.

Expressing joy over the developments, R.S. Bharathi, Member of Parliament and the DMK’s organising secretary, said his party’s ties with the Congress got cemented when party president M.K. Stalin called on Congress’ leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi a few days ago in New Delhi. “The way the meeting went showed that the equations will progress smoothly, and at the time of the Lok Sabha polls, we will score an impressive victory,” Mr. Bharathi said.

However, A. Anwhar Raajhaa, secretary of the AIADMK minorities wing and Ramanathapuram MP, viewed the results not as an endorsement of the Congress, but a verdict against the BJP. “Had it been a pro-Congress vote, how would you explain the defeat of the Congress in Telangana and Mizoram? It is a vote against the BJP,” Mr. Raajhaa said.

Tie-up troubles

Anti-BJP political forces were likely to benefit at the time of the Lok Sabha elections, he added.

The coming months are going to be very difficult for the party in Tamil Nadu. “At least in 2014, the PMK, the DMDK and the MDMK joined hands with the BJP. But in 2019, no party would want to ally with the party,” said the Ramanathapuram MP.

Asked whether his party would like to become an ally of the national party, Mr. Raajhaa replied in the negative. “Even though any alliance will be decided at the time of the elections, let me say that our party is not likely to deviate from the policy of Amma [Jayalalithaa]. In 2014, there was no tie-up with the BJP,” he added.

‘Too early to conclude’

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the AIADMK district secretaries at the party headquarters in the city, D. Jayakumar, Fisheries Minister, said no conclusion could be arrived at merely on the basis of the results of the Assembly elections. “One does not know what would be the mood of the people at the time of the Lok Sabha elections. It is something that cannot be deciphered easily.”

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who took part in the meeting, launched poll work for the Perambur Assembly constituency [one of the seats due for byelections] by donating 14 auto-rickshaws to party functionaries.